Protection of civilians in armed conflict - Security Council, 10131st meeting

The 10,131st meeting of the Security Council is called to order.

The provisional agenda for this meeting is protection of civilians in the armed conflict.

The agenda is adopted.

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council provisional rules of the procedure, I invite the representative of Switzerland to participate on this meeting.

It is so decided.

In accordance with the rule 39 of the Council provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting.

Mr. Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator,

Mr. Gilles Michaud, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security,

and Ms. Elise Nicole Musquini, Permanent Observer and Head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross to the United Nations.

It is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda.

I now give the floor to Mr. Tom Fletcher.

Thank you, Mr. President.

In 2025, at least 326 humanitarians were recorded as killed across 21 countries,

bringing the total number of humanitarians killed in three years to over 1,010.

We recognize, grieve, and honor each of our 326 colleagues,

and we commit the work ahead to their memory.

Of those over 1,000 deaths, more than 560 were in Gaza and the West Bank,

130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan, 25 in Ukraine, and 25 in DRC.

That number, over 1,000, compares to 377 recorded as killed globally over the previous three years.

So that's almost tripling the death count.

This is not an accidental escalation. It is the collapse of protection.

These humanitarians were killed while distributing food, water, medicine, shelter.

They died in clearly marked convoys

and on missions coordinated directly with authorities.

And too often, they were killed by member states of the United Nations.

Mr. President, humanitarians know we face risks. It is the nature of our work, the places in which we operate.

These deaths are not because we are reckless with our lives.

They are because parties to the conflict are reckless with our lives.

So on behalf of over 1,000 dead humanitarians and their families, we ask why.

Is it because the world no longer believes in SCR 2730,

in which you spoke just a couple of years ago with such moral urgency about ending violence against humanitarians?

Is it because international humanitarian law, forged by a generation of wiser political leaders for just such a time as this, is no longer convenient?

Is it because it is more important to protect those designing, selling, supplying, and firing lethal weapons,

including drones, cyber tools, artificial intelligence, than protecting us?

Is it because those killing us feel no cost for their actions?

How many were prosecuted?

How many of their leaders resigned?

On how many investigations did the UN Security Council insist?

Were you ever selective in your outrage?

Or is it because member states see these numbers as collateral damage, part of the fog of war?

Or worse, are we now somehow seen as legitimate targets?

And perhaps the most chilling question of all, if these deaths were preventable, why then were they not prevented?

Mr. President, over 110 member states have chosen to act together through the political declaration on the protection of humanitarians.

Yet across multiple crises, humanitarians are not just being killed.

Our action is being restricted, penalized, delegitimized.

We are told where not to go,

whom not to help.

We are harassed or arrested for doing our job.

And we are lied about,

and those lies have these consequences.

And of course, when humanitarians are harmed, aid often stops.

Clinics close, food doesn't arrive.

In Yemen, 73 UN and dozens of NGO personnel remain arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.

In Afghanistan and Yemen,

women humanitarians are prevented from doing their jobs.

In Gaza, Israel restricts UN agencies and international NGOs.

In Myanmar, insecurity and access constraints cut off aid to over 100,000 people in a single month.

And in Ukraine, drone attacks have forced aid groups to pull back from frontline communities.

In all these cases, the results of the deaths of humanitarians is too often the death of hope

for millions who rely on them.

Mr. President, these trends, alongside the collapse in funding for our life-saving work,

are a symptom of a lawless, bellicose, selfish, and violent world.

Killing humanitarians is part of the broader attack on the UN Charter and on international humanitarian law.

International humanitarian law was never and is not now an academic exercise.

In honor of our colleagues killed and in solidarity with those now risking their lives,

we ask you to act with much greater conviction, consistency, and courage.

Mr. President, I normally conclude with three asks of this Council.

But it seems somehow insulting to over 1,000 colleagues killed to echo back to you the commitments of SCR 2730,

protection, integrity, accountability.

We come here not to remind you of these commitments, but to challenge you to uphold them.

Because if we cast aside these hard-won principles, then the integrity of this Council

and the laws we are here to protect die with our colleagues. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Fletcher for his briefing. I give now the floor to Mr. Gilles Michaud.

Mr. President, members of Security Council, in March of this year in Goma,

a drone hit a home, killing a UNICEF colleague.

In November 2025, a Haitian colleague working for WHO was killed in Port-au-Prince in an attempted kidnapping.

In May of 2024, in Gaza, a tank fired at a UNDSS vehicle,

killing one of our colleagues and severely injuring another.

These colleagues, these friends, died while serving humanity, supporting children trapped in the throes of war,

vaccinating women and men living in violent neighborhoods,

escorting aid to reach millions of people in need.

To this day, no one has been held accountable for their deaths.

Your Excellencies, this is my last briefing to this Council.

And regrettably, since I started serving the organization and the Department of Safety and Security in 2019,

the threats to humanitarian personnel have only grown in scale, intensity, and frequency.

The deaths I just mentioned are three among a deplorably long list of casualties to which we see no end.

Since the last time I briefed you, six UN personnel have been killed and another 90 have been injured from acts of violence.

This includes four national staff killed and 56 injured.

Our national staff continue to bear the brunt of this shameful reality.

I salute their dedication to the ideals of the United Nations.

There were also 14 abductions, 145 arrests and detentions, 441 acts of intimidation and harassment, 62 attacks on United Nations premises, and 84 attacks on United Nations vehicles.

And these figures do not even include losses incurred by our peacekeeping and UNRWA colleagues.

Truth itself is under attack, with numerous examples of misinformation and the willful polarization and criminalization of aid, further fueling violence against humanitarian workers.

Regrettably, these attacks no longer come only from rogue non-state armed groups who never express any particular admiration for global norms to begin with.

They also come from member states.

Those same member states who have signed the Charter, who profess an attachment to international humanitarian law while paying little attention to such law in practice.

And from the de facto authorities, some of whom claim and seek international legitimacy while flouting international principles by detaining, torturing, or killing our colleagues.

Regrettably, all these perpetrators are rarely held accountable.

They are rarely named and shamed, let alone prosecuted.

Excellencies, over the last seven years, the humanitarian community's risk tolerance has risen to unprecedented levels.

Our colleagues in the field are tolerating risks that no one in here would ever accept.

They do so in the name of basic human principles, decency, and humanity.

They do so trusting that we, all of us in this room, will protect them.

And they continue to do so even though we continue to fail them.

In UNDSS, with OCHA and the rest of the United Nations security management system, we have done our utmost to support them.

New partnerships, greater adoption of new technologies, increased use of analytics, more frequent contingency planning, updated training, enhanced emergency response procedures, etc.

And I know this is not the right forum to describe the range of measures we have implemented to keep colleagues safe.

But it is the right place and time to tell you, we have stretched the security system to its limit.

It is an increasingly underfunded system.

Recent budget cuts have led us to reduce security support globally, from this building to all parts of the world,

leaving our people ever more exposed and our programs, in fact, your mandates, more vulnerable.

Without properly resourced security, life-saving interventions cannot be sustained.

It is also an increasingly ignored system.

Recent and repeated calls for more member states to adhere to the Convention and the Optional Protocol on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel and Operations have gone unheeded.

Without such legal commitments, impunity thrives.

And it is increasingly an undermined system.

Traditional methods of engagement with conflict actors to protect humanitarian personnel and assets, once a routine and well-functioning matter, are frequently contested or challenged.

Visas for security colleagues are delayed.

Vital safety equipment is denied.

Deconfliction procedures are ignored.

Without effective collaboration with and support from national governments, risks go up and colleagues die.

Excellencies, the department I've had the honor to serve for seven years was created out of the ruins of the UN compound in Baghdad attacked on August 19, 2003.

The UN flag, buried but retrieved from the rubble on that day, is on display at the entrance of this building.

It stands as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by our colleagues that day, the one made by our colleagues in Goma,

Port-au-Prince, and in Gaza, and by so many other women and men around the world.

It symbolizes the resilience of all United Nations and humanitarian personnel who, as I speak to you today, are risking their lives to alleviate suffering, to sustain hope in a better tomorrow for millions.

I encourage you to stop by this flag on your way out.

Because it must also serve as a call to action to all those who have the power to protect those who protect the most vulnerable.

In his letter to the Council of November 25, 2024, the Secretary-General offered a series of recommendations that define what this call to action could mean in practice.

These include strengthening support to personnel, survivors, and victims,

embedding safety and security considerations in mandates from the outset,

and calling for and supporting effective investigations and accountability so that attacks do not go unpunished.

They are as needed today as they were then, if not more.

I urge you to use all of your influence and power to ensure their swift implementation.

I also encourage all member states to sign on to the declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel launched during last year's General Assembly.

And I thank the 122 member states who have done so already.

However, on behalf of UNDSS and the United Nations security management system, allow me to add a few additional asks.

We ask you to speak up when an actor, any actor, threatens, arbitrarily detains, or kills our humanitarian colleagues.

We ask you to speak up when an actor, any actor, interferes with, undermines, or prevents security personnel and assets from reaching those who need their support.

We ask you to name and shame the actors, all actors.

We ask you to take real consequential measures against anyone, any party, any group, any member state that compromises the safety and security of women and men whose work saves lives.

Not combatants, not spies, not agitators.

Women and men whose sole purpose when they go to work is to alleviate suffering, to protect the vulnerable.

We ask you to invest politically, financially, legally in the safety and security of these women and men, the one noble cause that should unite us all.

Excellencies, since 2019, I have heard many expressions of condolences for UN lives lost, and I thank you.

But these are not enough. Without real action, they are at best, they are at best signs of helplessness.

I take the opportunity to pay tribute to all humanitarian and security colleagues on the front lines of today's most dangerous crises.

I also want to recognize their families and loved ones for their sacrifices and support.

Some of these women and men are citizens of the countries you represent.

You should be proud. I know I am.

But I also realize as I approach the end of my mandate that I should have done more, that I have at times failed them.

But not for lack of trying.

Rather, for my inability to convince member states to provide them with the safe and secure environment they deserve,

to provide them with the equipment they need,

to provide them with the support so they can come back home safely to their loved ones.

For me, a passing grade for effort pales in comparison to what humanitarian and security colleagues have given me.

Every day since I joined the UN, I have been inspired by their moral clarity.

Their courage in helping others has been an endless source of awe.

So my question to you, to us all in this room, is,

when will we exercise the same moral clarity?

Who will display the same courage to protect them? I thank you.

I thank Mr. Michaud for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Elise Nicole Musquini.

Thank you, Mr. President, members of the Council.

Last Saturday, in Iran, a fourth colleague of the Iranian Red Crescent Society was killed while carrying out humanitarian work.

Abolfazl Dahanabi was 20 years old. He'd been a Red Crescent volunteer since he was 16.

Last month, in Lebanon, Youssef Assaf, a colleague of the Lebanese Red Cross, suffered fatal injuries. These were sustained while he carried out a rescue mission in Southern Lebanon.

In Gaza, 54 staff and volunteers of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, four ICRC colleagues have been killed since the 7th of October 2023,

many while carrying out clearly notified, coordinated humanitarian duties.

In the aftermath of the horrendous attacks in Israel, at least six staff of Magen David Adom lost their lives.

As the Council was briefed by the PRCS president last April, in a single gruesome incident, eight PRCS medics were killed along with first responders from the Civil Defense and a staff member of the UN.

In Sudan last month, a volunteer of the Sudanese Red Crescent was killed while on duty in a maternity ward of a hospital.

And in each of the two previous years, ICRC convoys came under attack, killing and gravely injuring four colleagues.

In the international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, three ICRC staff were killed while shelling hit the site of a planned distribution near the front line.

This list goes on and on.

In 2025 alone, at least 31 staff and volunteers of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies and the movement at large were killed while carrying out their vital humanitarian work.

Many were attacked while wearing a protective emblem, while in clearly marked vehicles, on marked premises, or other facilities.

These individuals were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, colleagues. They were ordinary people, but they were taking extraordinary risks to perform life-saving work.

We, the ICRC, the movement at large, we share outrage at every attack and grief at every loss within the humanitarian community.

Each of these deaths is a loss for the communities these colleagues served.

When humanitarian workers are killed, people lose access to assistance and support at the very moment that they need it most.

Some of these deaths sparked public outrage, others passed unnoticed.

But every single one represents a failure of humanity.

Excellencies, I address you today with a simple but urgent message. We're losing our humanity in war.

Every attack on humanitarian personnel that passes without consequence allows this insidious pattern to continue.

Each such attack signals to others that the lives of aid workers are expendable and that the rules of war and the protections they're designed to provide are disposable.

Excellencies, this cannot continue. Parties to armed conflict cannot keep fighting wars without limits.

This is a legal, moral, and humanitarian imperative. People who help others in war and humanitarian crises must not be killed, they must not be targeted.

Mr. President, the alarming frequency of attacks is compounded by another trend, deliberate harmful information campaigns designed to erode trust in humanitarian organizations and to portray our colleagues as legitimate targets.

These online attacks do not remain only online. They spur real-world violence and real-world deaths.

Excellencies, I repeat, this cannot continue. Parties to armed conflict cannot keep fighting wars without limits.

International humanitarian law is unequivocal. States must respect and protect humanitarian personnel. States must also use their influence, political, diplomatic, and financial, to ensure respect for these rules.

On the 24th of May 2024, this Council adopted resolution 2730 to reverse this tragic trend.

We also appreciate the important initiative by Australia to launch the declaration on the protection of humanitarian personnel. These steps are laudable demonstrations of your will.

But will must be translated into action. Wars must have limits, and the safety and security of humanitarian personnel is one such fundamental limit that must be upheld to preserve our common humanity.

We owe an immense debt to our colleagues in conflict zones who continue to serve those in need despite the risks.

Their courage is extraordinary, but courage does not deflect bullets. Dedication does not shield them from drones, shelling, and gunfire.

Mr. President, the rules exist, the obligations are clear, the tools are available. Action is urgently needed.

Today the ICRC calls on the Security Council, on all states, and all parties to conflict to take immediate concrete steps to protect those who risk their lives to save lives.

This concretely means ensuring compliance with IHL by your own forces, by those with whom you partner or support.

Investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable.

Countering harmful narratives that endanger humanitarian personnel.

Securing rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Supporting duty of care measures, especially for local staff who bear the greatest risks.

The lives of humanitarian workers and the lives of the people they serve depend on your action.

Excellencies, the rules of war are clear. You have choices, and today you must choose to take action to protect our shared humanity. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank Ms. Musquini for her briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statement.

So I give the floor to the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. President,

the Democratic Republic of the Congo would like to thank you for holding this annual briefing dedicated to reflecting upon strengthening the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, UN, and associated personnel as well as their premises and operations.

We would like to thank all briefers for this morning, Mr. Tom Fletcher, Mr. Gilles Michaud, and Madame Elise Nicole Musquini for their informative briefings.

This meeting is relevant given the trends and the growing number of incidents reported in many conflict zones.

It is clear that this issue continues to be central when it comes to the concerns of the international community.

My country is directly affected by recurring conflicts, therefore the DRC pays special attention generally to the protection of our civilian populations.

And it is unequivocal, these populations continue to pay a very high price during conflicts as victims of recurring violence, forced displacement, and sexual violence and grave violations of international humanitarian law.

In a geopolitical context afflicted by fragmentation and the multiplication of crises,

it is worth asking how cooperation based on international law can strengthen unity, stability, and the effective protection of civilians in conflict zones.

Mr. President, resolution 2730 adopted by the Security Council on the 24th of May 2024 is an essential milestone for this mechanism.

It reaffirms that protecting humanitarian personnel, UN, and associated personnel, and by extension, the civilians that they are assisting is an erga omnes legal obligation, that means it is binding for all parties in a conflict.

By recalling the fundamental principles of IHL, distinction, proportionality, and precaution, the resolution consolidates a universal norm that reduces ambiguities and limits geopolitical interpretations which could jeopardize stability.

By applying these standards to all states and armed actors, it establishes the basis for a coherent international cooperation.

Beyond the existing legal framework, the resolution introduces specific mechanisms for accountability that transform norms into actions to strengthen the safety of civilians on the ground.

International humanitarian law, the 1994 Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel, as well as its its its Optional Protocol, impose clear obligations when it comes to the protection of personnel, premises, property, and operations.

Resolution 2730 recalls these obligations while supporting effective implementation.

Mr. President, however, the effectiveness of this framework depends on political will. Recent reports point to a real disconnect between the commitments of states and their application.

In November 2024, 116 delegations warned about a particularly deadly year for humanitarian workers.

In March 2025, Madame Joyce Msuya recalled in this Council that what is lacking is the political will for enforcement.

More recently, on the 31st of March 2026, this Council held an emergency meeting after the death of three Blue Helmets that were targeted when they were protecting civilians in the Middle East.

In some statements, we heard that the protection of civilians could be secondary given geopolitical strategic challenges, and this puts victims in the ranks of collateral damages. This perception is unacceptable.

Resolution 2037 gives us the what, a clear legal framework.

It behooves states to find the how, training for combatants, security for humanitarian corridors, unobstructed access to aid, and accountability mechanisms for violations. And our success depends on our collective capacity to close the gap between decisions taken in this Council and the lived reality of populations.

Mr. President, if I may, I would like to illustrate this reality.

The Human Rights Watch report published on the 1st of April 2026 on the occupation of the city of Uvira by M23 confirms the active participation of forces from Rwanda when they took the city, and it documents serious abuses committed throughout the first days, summary executions, kidnappings, restrictions on movement and freedom of expression, and targeted executions of men and boys accused without evidence of belonging to self-defense groups, the rape of women and girls, especially when they were traveling alone to the fields.

Three mass graves have already been identified, and many of the people kidnapped continue to be missing. These facts recall how urgent it is to have international action that is coherent and determined.

Mr. President, the DRC firmly condemns all attacks against civilians, humanitarian personnel, UN personnel, and essential infrastructure such as schools and medical centers.

These actions are flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and should be sanctioned with great vigor.

Moreover, my country reaffirms the primary responsibility of states to protect their populations.

In this regard, the DRC will continue with the tireless efforts necessary to strengthen the safety of its territory and will closely collaborate with all international partners, including those within the UN system.

Mr. President, the DRC calls, among other things, for: number one, strict compliance with international humanitarian law by all parties in armed conflicts.

Two, reinforcing prevention and response mechanisms for grave violations, especially those committed against women and children.

Three, to fight with determination against impunity so that the perpetrators of crime are accountable for their actions and for greater support for peacekeeping missions, especially when it comes to their mandates on the protection of civilians.

My delegation would like to underline that beyond the aforementioned considerations, it is also vital to address the root causes of conflict such as poverty, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, communal and communal tensions. Without this, it is impossible to envisage a sustainable peace.

To conclude, Mr. President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo would like to reaffirm that the protection of civilians and the safety of UN and humanitarian personnel are absolute imperatives for any kind of action in a conflict situation. Ensuring their physical integrity and their freedom of action preserves human dignity, ensures the continuity of vital assistance, and strengthens trust in multilateral action.

The DRC calls therefore upon all states and relevant parties to fully respect their obligations in terms of international humanitarian law and to work with determination so no one is targeted while providing aid or simply trying to survive. I thank you.

I thank the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

Thank you, Mr. President.

At the outset, I want to thank the presidents for the convening this important meeting, and I extend my appreciation to USG Mr. Fletcher and USG Mr. Michaud and Ms. Musquini for their insightful contributions for today.

The adoption of the Security Council 2730 marks a critical step in reaffirming our collective commitment to the protection of civilians in the armed conflict, a principle at the heart of United Nations Charter.

The protection of civilians has been a core concern for the Council for over two decades.

Yet the statistics remain sobering.

Civilian casualties in armed conflict remain disturbingly high, with women and children bearing the disproportionate disproportionate burden.

Despite clear legal framework, including the Geneva Convention and multiple Security Council resolutions, implementations on the ground too often falls short.

Attacks on healthcare facilities, forced displacement, and denial of humanitarian access continue with alarming regularity, underscoring the urgent need for the renewed action and accountability.

Against this backdrop, I would like to make the following three points.

First, we must place accountability at the center of our efforts.

When violations against civilians go unpunished, impunity becomes the norm and the cycle of violence deepens.

United Nations and member states must strengthen mechanisms for independent investigations and support efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.

Without a meaningful accountability, the suffering of civilians continue unabated.

Nowhere is this more painfully clear than the occupied territory of Palestinian, where repeated cycle of violence have devastated communities and left a legacy of trauma and loss.

We call on the occupying power Israel to uphold its obligations under international law and ensure the protection of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Second, we must confront the growing use of sophisticated technology such as drones and autonomous weapons increasingly deployed in the today's conflicts.

The impact of these technologies have been specifically devastating in Sudan conflict, where their use alongside the actions of Rapid Support Forces, RSF, who have been credibly accused of committing atrocities against civilians, have compounded the suffering of the innocent people.

The Council must urgently support independent investigations into these abuses, impose targeted sanctions on those responsible.

At the same time, we must work to establish clear international standards for the use of such technologies, ensuring they are never employed in a ways that endanger civilian lives or international undermine or undermine international law.

Third, we must address the threat of disinformation and misinformation in conflict zones.

These campaigns fuel violence and divisions, directly endangering civilians and humanitarian workers.

False narratives can incite hostility, obstruct the delivery of aid, and erode trust in a neutral humanitarian efforts.

The Council must unite to address the spread of false information to support accurate, transparent communication in all conflict-affected areas.

The deliberate targeting of civilians is a stain on our conscience and a direct attack on the foundations of peace.

In every place of crisis, families are shattered, children orphaned, homes reduced to rubble, futures stolen in an instant.

We cannot meet this suffering with silence or half measures.

My delegation is committed to working with all members to turn these promises into a meaningful protection for those most at risk.

We owe to all people around the world through real action that their lives matter and that this Council would not turn away from its duty. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of China.

President, I thank you for convening today's important meeting.

I thank USG Fletcher, USG Michaud, and Miss Missconi for their insightful briefings.

At present, the world is beset by conflicts and unrest. Tensions are high in the Middle East, Lebanon, Sudan, and the DRC, among other regions. Countless civilians are shrouded in the shadows of war, displacement, and disaster.

In the face of human suffering, the light of humanitarianism has never dimmed. Humanitarian workers have built lifelines in conflict zones, while the UN and peacekeeping personnel have spared no effort to protect the civilians, sometimes even devoting their lives.

It's deeply distressing that humanitarian workers and UN personnel have repeatedly come under attack in conflicts. We pay high tribute to all humanitarian workers and UN personnel who remain steadfast on the front lines.

And we extend our deepest deepest condolences to those who have lost their lives. Those who safeguard lives should not themselves be placed in danger. The international community must unite and take strong actions to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and UN personnel. I will make four points.

First, we must eliminate conflicts and violence to build a solid foundation for security. As long as conflicts persist, the dangers faced by humanitarian workers will continue, and strategy and tragedies involving attacks on them cannot be fundamentally eliminated. The Security Council must fulfill its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security by promoting dialogue, facilitating negotiations, and advancing ceasefires. All parties to the conflicts should stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolve disputes peacefully, replace confrontation with dialogues, so as to build long-lasting peace.

Second, the rule of international law must be upheld and humanitarian action must be safeguarded. Humanitarian workers and UN personnel must not be targets of military operations. Humanitarian assistance must not be deliberately weaponized. These are widely recognized basic principles of international humanitarian law and must not be challenged.

Compliance with international humanitarian law is an obligation for all parties. It is not optional. Any double standards or selective application will erode the foundation of the rules of law and encourage further violations. All violations of international humanitarian laws must be strictly punished and must not be tolerated or condoned.

Third, smearing and suppression must be stopped. UN's role must be respected. For some time, the UN and its agencies have faced systematic smearing and attacks, seriously hindering their normal functioning and undermining their authority and role. The work of the UN should be respected and supported. The privileges and immunities of UN agencies and personnel must be guaranteed.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, mandated by the GA, serves as a lifeline for Palestine refugees.

However, more than 390 of its staff have been killed in Gaza. Its operations in East Jerusalem have been forcefully shut down. Its facilities have been demolished. China firmly opposes these actions.

Israel must fulfill its obligations under international law as the occupying power and cease its attacks and suppression of UNRWA.

Fourth, we need to strengthen the international support and improve protection mechanisms. China appreciates efforts made by Department Safety and Security and others in protecting humanitarian workers and UN personnel and supports enhanced international cooperation with the UN to improve protection systems.

Field missions should accurately assess evolving risks, improving contingency plans and better facilitate humanitarian operations. The China-UN Peace and Development Fund has supported multiple crisis management training programs conducted by the Department of Safety and Security, helping to enhance the Secretariat's emergency response capabilities and better ensure personnel safety.

President, China together with Brazil, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and others, launched the global initiative to galvanize political commitment for IHL with ICRC, aiming to re-invigorate the international community's firm commitment to international humanitarian law. Over a hundred countries have already joined, and we call on more to do so in promoting compliance and implementation of IHL.

China has always been a steadfast supporter and active contributor to the international peace and humanitarian efforts. We stand ready to continue working with all parties to make unremitting efforts to protect the safety of humanitarian workers and UN personnel. Thank you, President.

I thank the representative of China for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Russian Federation.

Mr. President,

we wish to thank the Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher and Gilles Michaud as well as the head of the delegation of the ICRC to the United Nations, Elise Musquini, for their briefings on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2730. Their assessments leave no doubt about the fact that the situation relating to the safety and security of humanitarian workers and UN personnel continues to deteriorate.

I wish to take this opportunity to recall something that Gilles Michaud mentioned today. The issue of the protection of humanitarian workers was firmly enshrined in the Council's agenda in the wake of the tragedy of August 2003, when following a terrorist attack targeting UN premises in Baghdad, 22 people died, including 15 personnel of the United Nations. At that time, the international community announced a decision to provide for safe and secure conditions for those helping other people in the most dire circumstances.

The subsequent developments nevertheless showed that this task was not so easy to achieve. Humanitarian workers continued and continue to systematically fall victim to attacks and violence, both amid circumstances of armed conflict and in times of peace. However, the circumstances over the past three years, with spiraling levels of failed protections for humanitarian workers, is giving rise to grave concern.

2023 was a turning point, shattering records. In 2023, when 297 humanitarian organization staff fell in the line of duty. In 2024, the number of the dead humanitarian workers rose to 388 people, and in 2025, that number was 329 individuals.

These statistics reflect the magnitude of human tragedy and bring us to the key question of the reasons for what is taking place. I do I think that it is clear to all here in this chamber, although not all are willing to voice an open acknowledgment thereof. More than half of all instances of deaths of humanitarian workers are directly linked to the conflict in Palestine and Israeli military operations. Unfortunately, even amid reduced intensity of military operations in the Gaza Strip, civilians, humanitarian, and medical personnel continue to die, and the same holds true for the situation in the West Bank of the Jordan River.

When one considers the situation in Palestine, the shortcomings of the deconfliction, the so-called deconfliction mechanisms which are advanced by the Secretariat, are starkly evident. Championed as an instrument for protection, in practice these mechanisms and notification systems are glaringly ineffective. Not only failing to rise to the expectations pinned on them, but frequently they even backfire. Humanitarian workers are increasingly reluctant, fearful of sharing their location coordinates insofar as this information can be used against them. Similarly, the heads of humanitarian structures are unwilling to share with Israeli side lists of their personnel simply due to fears for their safety and security. So what kind of deconfliction is there to speak of?

Incidentally, we previously referred to the ineffectiveness thereof in the context of Syria and other hotspots. In Gaza, there are exceedingly dangerous developments underway. Humanitarian workers there often come under direct attack. They are direct targets. Examples of this abound. We all recall the murder in cold blood last year of a convoy of Palestinian Red Crescent para- paramedics whose bodies were then discovered in a mass grave.

The instances of so-called double-tap operations are also proliferating. Double-tap operations, when those rushing to the scene to assist victims are then attacked. We are particularly concerned by the plight of UNRWA staff who are encountering unprecedented threat levels and being subjected to pressure merely for doing their jobs.

The decision of Israel to discredit and to curtail UNRWA operations directly undermines the safety and security not just of personnel but also of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who rely on humanitarian assistance. We are exceedingly concerned by the fact that the situation in Lebanon is devolving similarly to Palestine, where the number of victims continues to rise and where there are attacks targeting critical infrastructure being reported. From the 2nd of March to the 5th of April, near nearly 1,500 people died there, including 129 children. 92 attacks targeting medical facilities were reported. A Lebanese Red Crescent volunteer was killed.

On the 5th of April, the Doctors Without Borders organization announced an attack targeting a densely populated region of Beirut, merely 100 meters away from the hospital where its staff work. The situation in Iran is equally concerning, where now with direct complicity of the United States, we observed strikes targeting civilian infrastructure including medical facilities, which inevitably resulted in growing numbers of civilian casualties and generated a direct threat to humanitarian personnel. There are already reports about damage to at least 316 medical facilities and demolition of humanitarian storage sites.

More than 100 ambulances have been attacked. 24 rescue personnel were killed. The victims of this war included a 20-year-old volunteer, Abolfazl Dahanabi, from the Iranian Red Crescent, who was killed four days ago when delivering humanitarian assistance to a victim. This is the fifth Iranian Red Crescent staff member who died since the start of this conflict. All of these facts, all of these figures substantiate the argument

that these are not incidental occurrences. This is a systematic practice which flies in the face of the norms of international humanitarian law. Attacks targeting hospitals, schools, humanitarian objects, abduction and intimidation of UN personnel.

All of this chips away at the very foundation of humanitarian response, and this is taking place against the backdrop of the fact that at least 239 million people throughout the world require urgent humanitarian assistance. Mr. President, some experts and even some delegations are attempting to link the current problems to the need to craft additional international legal instruments and to enhance the role of the International Criminal Court. We believe firmly that the necessary legal international legal law norms are long-standing, they are well-known. This includes the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols

thereof, as well as the 1994 Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel. We believe firmly that the current crisis is a consequence not of a scarcity of legal instruments, but rather of the fact that these documents are being applied selectively or they are simply being disregarded by certain

countries. Let us recall that even among the permanent members of the Security Council, there are states who have not acceded to these key documents. Speaking about the role of the ICC, allow me to note that this pseudo-court has completely discredited itself, having morphed into a tool for political machinations and exerting pressure by Western countries. And for many states, any doubts about its biased position have long since evaporated.

It is clear to us that there is a need not to create new mechanisms or not to create various types of boilerplate declarations, but rather there is a need to ensure stringent implementation of all already existing norms. There is an important need to bear in mind that those states on whose territories humanitarian organizations operate, that those states bear the main responsibility for their safety and security. For this precise reason, the protection of their personnel needs to be prioritized by humanitarian structures.

And to that end, what they need is to establish cooperation with host state authorities in such a way as to mitigate risks and to ensure sustainability and safety and security for their operations. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Russian Federation for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of France.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, first and foremost, I wish to thank Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Tom Fletcher, and the Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, Mr. Gilles Michaud, as well as the permanent observer of the ICRC, Madame Elise Musquini. Thank you for your statements, which serve as a reminder of the gravity of the situation. And I especially wish to thank you for your efforts and those of the personnel of your organizations dedicated to humanitarian operations and action and the protection of UN personnel. And since this is the last statement from Mr. Michaud before the Security Council, I wish him to convey our deep gratitude, our profound respect for his efforts and for the effectiveness and efficiency of his work.

President, the international community is responsible for the protection of humanitarian personnel. This is a legal responsibility, a political and a moral responsibility, political and moral responsibility. By protecting humanitarian workers, civilians are those whom we seek to shield from the horrors of war, and it is the possibility of peace which we seek to protect. It is a legal obligation pursuant to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols thereof. All states shoulder the obligation to protect humanitarian personnel and to guarantee that they can fully assist people in need. Under Article 8 of the Rome Statute, attacks targeting humanitarian personnel constitute a war crime whose perpetrators can and must be held accountable before the judiciary.

Today, belligerents, be they states, be they armed groups, terrorist groups, gangs, are clearly allies in undermining international humanitarian law, in the brutalization of the world, by targeting systematically humanitarian personnel. The three speakers from this morning stated eloquently that this reflects a system for destruction of the law which is being established. The reasons are multi-pronged, and they boil down to the same bottom line: these are lawless wars and ruthless wars, insofar as this goes hand in hand with another phenomenon, which is equally reprehensible and alarming: increasing contempt for the rules which protect civilians in armed conflict. The two go hand in hand.

In 2024, as a number of people mentioned, 367 humanitarian workers were killed, 294 in 2025. Most were killed in Palestine, that is true, serving under the banner of the United Nations, first and foremost UNRWA, NGOs, as well as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This horror continued in 2026 throughout the world, as has been reflected in the death of a humanitarian French humanitarian worker of UNICEF among other civilians in Goma on the 11th of March, the deaths of seven medical personnel in Al-Jabalein Hospital in Sudan on 3 April, as well as the deaths of personnel supporting WHO medical evacuations in Rafah on 6 April. The war in Ukraine, where the Russian forces are systematically targeting civilians as well as civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, energy infrastructure, this is part of the same phenomenon which is also victimizing humanitarian personnel. And the war in the Middle East, of course, is exacerbating this grim reality with dozens of humanitarian Lebanese and Iranian workers killed since the 28th of February, in addition to the three Indonesian UNIFIL Blue Helmets.

France pays tribute to all personnel who have been killed and wounded, as well as thousands of humanitarian workers who, the risks notwithstanding, including risks of arrest and detention, continue to remain faithful to their mission. In light of this phenomenon, the Council and membership thereof must act to protect civilian and humanitarian personnel. Action can take numerous forms. First and foremost, there is a need for the Council, which adopted resolution 2730, for the Council to see to the enforcement of its own resolutions. This includes denunciations of violations and perpetrators in Council expressions. We also have a duty to work to guarantee that there be guarantees for humanitarian personnel in Security Council resolutions.

And we there need to be there need to be tangible mechanisms to ensure objective, permanent, and exhaustive comprehensive follow-up when it comes to violations of IHL throughout the world. Moreover, there is a need for states to act collaboratively in order to hold perpetrators accountable of these crimes. France recalls the calls for the recalls the need for all to ratify the 1994 Convention on Safety of UN and Associated Personnel, as well as the 2005 Optional Protocol. We call upon the members of the Council to to serve as an example in this regard. Likewise, the International Criminal Court is an important tool at the disposal of states and the Council to address to hold perpetrators accountable and to eradicate these atrocities and put bring them to an end. Defense of these individuals needs to dovetail with a broader defense of international law, of which the Council serves as a guarantor.

We wish to recall once again the need for states to all join the global initiative on IHL, which was launched by the ICRC alongside six states, France, including France and China, which is charting an operational path towards ensuring that the rights of civilians and humanitarian workers are fully respected in times of war. Thank you.

I thank the representative of France for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I also thank Under-Secretary-General Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General Michaud, and the as well as the permanent observer of the ICRC for their detailed briefings on this topic, one which lies at the very heart of this Council's work and responsibility. I also welcome the permanent representative of Switzerland to this meeting.

Mr. President, as we've just heard, attacks against the UN and humanitarian personnel are on the rise. Whether by bullet, bomb, or drone, such assaults are a criminal affront to each of us as members of the United Nations and in particular to this Council.

Since the adoption of this resolution two years ago, we have continued to witness staggering levels of violence against UN and humanitarian personnel from Haiti to Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Over the past 12 months alone, we have seen the bombing of multiple WFP humanitarian convoys and medical facilities in Sudan. In December, we also witnessed the lethal drone attacks on UNISFA logistics base in Kadugli.

In Lebanon, dozens of humanitarian personnel and first responders have been killed amid amid the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The WHO have reported so far that 53 health workers have been killed, 137 injured, and 16 hospitals damaged, a likely undercount. Only last week, this Council met urgently to address the deaths of three peacekeepers in the country's south. Denmark condemns all attacks directed at civilians and civilian infrastructure, including first responders and healthcare personnel, in line with resolution 2286.

In Gaza, multiple violations of the October 2025 ceasefire continue to be reported. Dozens of aid workers have been killed in the occupied Palestinian territory over the last year. Obstruction of UN and humanitarian personnel persists as humanitarian actors are being prohibited in saving lives through denied access. Emergent technologies, such as automated weapon systems, drones, and AI-enabled decision support tools, represent new challenges and potential tools to ensuring the protection of UN and humanitarian personnel in accordance with international humanitarian law. This must also be factored into our discussions.

Mr. President, against this backdrop, I wish to make three points. First, as we've said before, tolerance signals acceptance. In the absence of clear and consistent condemnations, we effectively set the price paid by the perpetrators for such attacks at zero. Systematic condemnations from this Council are a crucial first step towards reversing this trend, as we heard this morning also from Under-Secretary-General Michaud.

Second, these attacks are not only carried out by militias or non-state armed groups. They are also perpetrated by state actors, by members of this organization. This reality must not only prompt serious discussion, but also action towards ensuring compliance and holding perpetrators accountable.

Third, member states can and should make better use of existing tools to uphold international law and ensure accountability, whether through this Council, including its sanctions regimes, or where this body is deadlocked through the General Assembly, as well as national initiatives such as the exercise of universal jurisdiction. Only when perpetrators face real consequences and when member states take genuine action will we begin to deter such behavior.

Mr. President, in closing, our shared multilateral system cannot and should not endure the strain imposed by the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law. This is not only about safeguarding our institutions. It is about protecting the best of us, the UN and humanitarian personnel who stand in the front lines day in and day out, delivering aid and saving lives. Only by acting together towards this objective can we fulfill the vision of resolution 2730. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Under-Secretaries-General Fletcher and Michaud and Miss Musquini for their briefings. Thank you for your focus on protection, integrity, and accountability, for your focus on moral clarity and courage, and for your focus on humanity in war. And we stand with you in honoring your colleagues who have lost their lives.

In conflict and crises around the world, humanitarian and UN personnel are often the first to arrive and the last to leave, risking their lives to save others. 2024 was the deadliest year on record, with 383 aid workers killed. In 2025, over 320 were killed. And already in 2026, the devastation continues with aid workers killed across the Middle East, the DRC, and Sudan. This cannot continue.

The United Kingdom was proud to co-sponsor resolution 2730 in May 2024. We hoped it would mark a turning point. Instead, threats to humanitarian personnel have intensified. We must act urgently.

Resolution 2730 must be implemented fully without delay. In all humanitarian crises, local personnel bear the greatest risk. In Yemen, local humanitarian personnel remain arbitrarily detained. We reiterate calls for their immediate and unconditional release. In Sudan, local aid workers continue to sustain the response amid relentless insecurity, obstruction, and violence. And in Gaza, the overwhelming majority of the more than 589 aid workers killed since the 7th of October 2023 were local staff, including 391 UNRWA staff.

Behind every aid worker killed is a family and a community left grieving.

President, implementation of resolution 2730 requires sustained investment in practical protection to keep humanitarian workers safe. This includes civil-military coordination, robust security and duty of care, and consistent support to frontline agencies. The UK supports global platforms such as INSO, the Global Interagency Security Forum, and the Aid Worker Security Database, alongside our support to frontline agencies, and we urge others to do the same.

We must also address emerging risks. The growing use of uncrewed aerial systems by those not acting within the confines of international humanitarian law is making fragile environments even more dangerous. This has had fatal consequences in the DRC, Sudan, and Ukraine. Disinformation further erodes trust and shrinks humanitarian space. We must call out disinformation and counter false narratives that endanger those delivering life-saving assistance.

Finally, international humanitarian law must be upheld by all parties to armed conflict. The UK is proud to co-chair a workstream under the ICRC's Global International Humanitarian Law Initiative and to have co-launched with Australia the political declaration on the protection of humanitarian personnel. We call for full compliance with IHL and for transparent, timely investigations when aid workers are harmed. Two years since the World Central Kitchen strike in Gaza, in which three British nationals were killed, we are still waiting for Israel to conclude and publish its findings into this attack. Israel has a responsibility to provide answers as to how and why this happened.

President, we must honor the dedication of those on the front lines by showing the same level of commitment in our actions. Resolution 2730 must be more than a paper promise. It must be a practical priority and implemented fully by all. Thank you.

I thank the representative of United Kingdom for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Colombia.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this session. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, as well as the Under-Secretary-General and Chief of the Department of Safety and Security for their briefings. I would also like to thank the head of delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross for her presentation. I greet all delegations that have and the Swiss delegation who is joining us today.

All parties in conflict have the absolute obligation to respect and ensure that IHL is observed. This includes the safety of those who are providing humanitarian assistance. Any violation of these norms constitutes an affront against life, dignity, and the humanitarian mission. It also puts at risk those who depend on this critical aid to survive in the midst of a conflict. Despite the fact that the norms are clear, armed actors continue to violate international humanitarian law.

Two years after the adoption of resolution 2730, Colombia deeply regrets the persistence of a pattern of systemic violence and deliberate and indiscriminate aggressions against the civilian population. This includes the humanitarian personnel as well as UN personnel. Just in 2025, over 560 attacks against humanitarian workers were reported.

Current trends in conflicts worsen this situation even further. The indiscriminate use of explosive devices in highly populated areas and the proliferation of low-cost technologies are significantly increasing threats, not just against the civilian population, but also against humanitarian facilities and critical civilian infrastructure. These dynamics generate operational contexts that are increasingly unsafe and complex for humanitarian action.

In this context, allow me to refer to three aspects that require our attention. First, we must address the spread of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech against humanitarian organizations and UN staff, as well as attempts to criminalize humanitarian assistance. In this respect, it is imperative to ensure clear and coordinated communication with local authorities and media, communication that should be based on data and evidence. It should foster collaboration with tech companies in order to support these efforts. Moreover, it is necessary to call out and strongly condemn, in a consistent fashion, this kind of speech, and we must protect the independence of journalists.

Second, national and local personnel are the backbone of humanitarian action. Nevertheless, they face the greatest risks. In order to strengthen their protection, it is essential to ensure constant training, to permanently reinforce monitoring and adaptation systems for measures to manage security risks and ensure adequate resources for their protection and well-being. This includes psychosocial support. Likewise, it is crucial to promote an approach that equitably distributes risk and to make sure that it has adequate and sustained financing. On this point, it is vital to recognize the differentiated risks that women experience in humanitarian action. Gender-based violence and limitations to access workspaces that are safe are not just violations of their fundamental rights. They directly affect the capacity of humanitarian operations to respond to the needs of our populations, in particular women and girls. It is necessary to ensure that we have safe, inclusive spaces that are free from discrimination for our female humanitarian staff.

Third, we cannot continue to accept impunity in the face of attacks against UN and humanitarian personnel. There must be no ambiguity about this. These acts constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law, and in many cases, they may constitute war crimes. To prevent this, it is necessary to advance specific actions where states ensure immediate investigations and robust, impartial, and independent legal procedures that lead to concrete sanctions for those responsible. Likewise, it is also indispensable to promote the integration and effective application of universal jurisdiction in national legal frameworks, when this is applicable, in order to ensure justice for the victims. This requires strengthening institutional capacities, normative frameworks, and legal cooperation mechanisms. When national systems do not act, the international community must carry out a fundamental assistance and support role and to cooperate in order to facilitate its implementation, monitor compliance, and ensure that impunity does not prevail.

Mr. President, Colombia supports strengthening the respect for international humanitarian law, ensuring humanitarian access that is safe, rapid, and unhindered, as well as comprehensive protection for all humanitarian staff. We call for supporting and actively joining initiatives such as the declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel, which promotes specific commitments to strengthen the prevention of attacks, improve early warning mechanisms, strengthen the operational protection of staff, and ensure accountability for violations. Only through practical, coherent, and principled measures will we be able to revert the current worrying trend and ensure that those that provide vital assistance can do so safely and with dignity. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Colombia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Latvia.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, I would like to thank Bahrain for convening this meeting on resolution 2730, a matter of significant importance that warrants the Council's close consideration. We also welcome the participation of Switzerland, which led the work on the resolution 2730 in this Council two years ago. Latvia was a proud to co-sponsor together with many other UN member states. I also thank USG Fletcher and USG Michaud, as well as the permanent observer Miss Musquini of ICRC, for their informative briefings.

Latvia commends the efforts of local and international organizations, UN personnel, assistance providers, and humanitarian workers who continue to risk their lives in the most dangerous environments. Local and national humanitarian workers, those closest to affected communities, face disproportionate risk. We see this pattern across the globe. In South Sudan, an MSF hospital in Lankien was struck, forcing life-saving services to cease. In Ukraine, the Russian Federation continues with targeted attacks on clearly marked humanitarian convoys from World Food Programme in October 2025 to local humanitarian workers last month. In Gaza, humanitarian workers continue to risk their lives to help Palestinian civilians under extremely difficult conditions.

Mr. President, accountability is important. As state involvement in armed conflicts increases, the responsibility of ceasing these attacks rests largely with UN member states. Violations of international humanitarian law must not go unpunished. When a military attacks a humanitarian convoy because it was supposedly transporting weapons, the proof must meet international standards. When the attacked ambulance was allegedly hiding combatants, not hors de combat, the state must grant access to international monitoring so that this claim can be verified. To uphold accountability, we must support effective investigations, name and sanction those responsible, and prevent impunity from further endangering international and local humanitarians.

Often, threats to humanitarian personnel are fueled by hate speech, disinformation, and information manipulation campaigns, frequently propelled by algorithms on online platforms. Unverified accusations of militarized or compromised humanitarian aid workers have put countless volunteers at risk. States cannot justify their blatant violations or interpret their obligations contrary to established international humanitarian law by hiding behind disinformation. If we want the UN to function effectively, we must ensure that the UN personnel are able to operate safely.

Mr. President, technology is playing an increasingly visible role in shaping the environment in which humanitarian personnel operate. Proliferation of use of drones in conflict leads to new security risks. The incident with a UNICEF staff member killed in Goma in March clearly illustrates this reality. Technology is becoming cheaper and more accessible also to non-state groups. This underscores the importance of upholding international humanitarian law and its core principles by all actors in all circumstances, including in relation to emerging technologies. At the same time, technology can also serve as instrument that helps humanitarian efforts. Such tools as UNDP rapid digital assessment can help to speed up action and make humanitarian support more efficient. Technology-enabled protection instruments can also contribute to the safety of humanitarian personnel, for instance, through early warning. Therefore, we must adapt our approach to protection of humanitarian personnel in a way that addresses the emergent risks but also takes advantage of new technological developments.

Mr. President, I conclude by reiterating Latvia's firm and unwavering commitment to the declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel. We will continue to advocate for the safety of humanitarian personnel, both within and outside the UN system, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Latvia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Liberia.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Today's briefings did more than inform this Council.

They gave voice to the lives that too often disappear behind our expressions of grief, outrage, and condemnation.

They reminded us that when we speak of civilian harm and its increasingly grim statistics,

we are speaking really of a father who did not come home, a mother trying to hold together what remains of her family, a person's only child whose future was cut short.

We are speaking of families who watched a loved one leave home to help bring peace to a troubled region under the United Nations protective flag and who now wait anxiously for a return that is no longer assured.

For this, I join others to thank the briefers and through them all those who continue to serve humanity under the increasingly difficult conditions described.

We welcome the distinguished colleague from Switzerland to the chambers.

Mr. President, the Security Council has addressed the protection of civilians many times.

What distinguishes this moment is not a lack of information, but a question of resolve.

Whether the Council will act on what it has already seen, documented, and acknowledged as the Under-Secretaries and Permanent Observer of the ICRC have asked us to do.

Across the UN system, the message is clear. The General Assembly has reaffirmed the obligation to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.

The Secretary-General's reports continue to identify the same patterns, patterns of blocked assistance, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and disregard for the laws of war.

These outcomes are not inevitable. They reflect choices made when restraint is optional and accountability uncertain.

But these can be changed.

Against this backdrop, Liberia wishes to emphasize five points.

First, civilian harm persists because, as our briefers have reminded us, it is too often treated as tolerable or even useful.

When hospitals are struck without consequence, when aid convoys are obstructed with impunity, and when families bury their dead while the world moves on, compliance with humanitarian law becomes conditional. If protection is to be meaningful, civilian harm must no longer be perceived as a viable tactic of war.

Second, condemnation must be translated into consequence. This does not require new principles, but consistent application of existing ones.

Credible and timely attribution of violations, behavior-linked responses, and accountability pathways that are visible and personal, including through international mechanisms where appropriate. Such measures do not limit the Council's authority. Actually, they reinforce its credibility and deterrent effect.

Third, prevention must come from response.

The Council has influence long before the first civilian is harmed. In situations at risk, issue and encourage early commitments, rules of engagement consistent with international humanitarian law, agreed no-strike lists for civilian infrastructure, and assistance frameworks explicitly conditioned on compliance. Preventing harm is not an aspiration. It must be a matter of early decision.

Fourth, consistency is essential.

A civilian's life does not carry different weight depending on the conflict in which it is lost. Selective applications of principles anywhere weakens deterrence everywhere and definitely erodes confidence in this Council's role.

Fifth, we must protect those who serve to protect others.

The continued detention of United Nations personnel in Yemen, among other contexts, illustrates a broader and troubling trend. When humanitarian workers and UN staff can be detained or targeted without consequence, civilian protection as a whole is undermined. The Council should therefore be prepared to respond swiftly and predictably when such acts occur, including through diplomatic consequences and limits on engagements with responsible actors.

Mr. President, Liberia offers these points informed by experience. Our own journey from conflict to peace underscored that restraint, accountability, and early intervention are decisive in protecting civilians. Even in peace, Liberia continues to pursue accountability, not to reopen wounds, but to strengthen confidence in the rule of law and to signal that violations, when left unaddressed, carry lasting costs.

In conclusion, Mr. President, the choice before this Council is between reacting after lives are lost or acting early enough to prevent those losses, because protection of civilians cannot continue to be a post-facto appeal. It must become a precondition shaping how parties to conflict calculate their actions. Behavior, after all, is more likely to change when consequences are certain and restraint is rewarded. This Council has the authority to create those conditions. What remains is the will to use it. We urge this Council to act decisively, consistently, fairly, and in time. I thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the representative of Liberia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to Under-Secretary-General Michaud and to Under-Secretary-General Fletcher and to Miss Musquini for your briefings. And welcome to our colleague, the permanent representative of Switzerland, welcome this morning. Before I begin my remarks, Gilles, is this your last briefing? Um, thank you for your leadership, your commitment to the mission, and on a personal level, thank you for your friendship and for being very patient with all of my questions these last six months as I tried to understand this very large institution. We will miss you.

Colleagues, the United States remains committed to the protection of UN and humanitarian personnel and civilians around the world. Humanitarian workers put themselves at risk to support people in dire need, something I witnessed firsthand just a few months ago in the DRC and in the Central African Republic and in Kenya, and often they work in active conflict zones. Resolution 2730 demands that all parties to conflict comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including their obligations related to the respect and protection of humanitarian personnel.

It is a clear violation of international humanitarian law to target those civilians who assist and protect the most vulnerable. We call on all parties in active conflicts to take every feasible measure to mitigate harm to humanitarian personnel and civilians.

The United Nations has also recommended that responsible parties facilitate humanitarian access. The United States is working around the world as part of President Trump's peacemaking efforts to ensure humanitarians have access to do their life-saving work, from Gaza to Sudan to Ukraine and beyond. Despite our efforts and those of our many partners, significant gaps remain and aid workers continue to be targeted by malicious actors.

Unsurprisingly, US adversaries who have little respect for international law or human dignity are frequently the perpetrators of violence against humanitarian workers. We are grateful for Bahrain's achievement in pushing forward the historic resolution 2817 with the most co-sponsors of any Security Council resolution in history and for its continued efforts to hold the Iranian regime to account.

Iran's deliberate targeting of civilians in the Gulf region demonstrates a lack of respect for international humanitarian law and is at odds with principles of international peace and security. In Yemen, Iran continues to support the Houthis despite the fact that they have taken action against the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, and the diplomatic community in ways that make operations untenable. The Houthis continue to hold over 70, 70 UN staff and at least 20 US locally engaged staff and have refused recent meetings with the UN to discuss their fate.

The Houthis demonstrate nothing but contempt for the UN's humanitarian mission, in line with their broader violent conduct for which the United States designated them as a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist.

Guided by Security Council resolution 2803, we underscore that all parties must protect civilians and humanitarian personnel integral to implementing the President's comprehensive peace plan for Gaza and creating a stable and prosperous Middle East. In Sudan, the United States calls on the warring parties to immediately end the violence and cease all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and health facilities.

Hospitals have been destroyed, cutting off life-saving services for hundreds of vulnerable civilians who are already facing acute malnutrition. The killing of civilians, including children, health workers, and humanitarian staff, is simply deplorable. Every day of continued fighting is costing more innocent innocent lives. This needs to end now.

The same threats persist towards humanitarian workers in South Sudan, which remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for aid workers with a disturbing escalation of targeted attacks on medical and humanitarian operations. In February, aerial bombardment and looting damaged two health facilities that together served an estimated 250,000 people, cutting them off from essential life-saving health services.

Between January 30th and February 1st, 2026, armed actors looted approximately 1,500 metric tons of food aid, depriving already vulnerable communities of critical assistance. In addition to disregarding international humanitarian law, these actions have disrespected Council resolutions 2730 and 2286.

On March 11th, a reported drone strike in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo killed UNICEF staff member Kareen Bisse, along with other civilians, adding to the tragic loss of life that continues to impact countless civilians. We urge DRC, Rwanda, and M23 to uphold protection of UN and humanitarian personnel and for full humanitarian access to Eastern DRC.

As we reflect on the impact these crises have on communities, we call on UN member states to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect humanitarian workers and civilians in armed conflict. Thank you.

I thank the representative of United States for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Greece.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to start by thanking Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud, and the permanent observer of ICRC, Miss Elise Nicole Mosquini, excuse me, for their comprehensive and insightful briefings. I would like also to welcome the permanent representative of Switzerland to this meeting.

Greece welcomes the second annual briefing on the implementation of resolution 2730 in a time of protracted and complex armed conflicts, with the deadliest impact ever recorded on the safety and security of humanitarian workers. We pay tribute to the fallen, the humanitarian and UN and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, who have lost their lives trying to save others.

I would also like to express our sincere appreciation and debt to all those who, risking their lives, continue to provide those in need help, relief, and hope.

27 years ago, in 1999, briefing the Security Council, former ICRC president Cornelio Sommaruga spoke of 20 active conflicts.

Today, more than 130 conflicts are recorded by ICRC worldwide, in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. In 2025, as was reported by USG Fletcher, 326 humanitarian and UN and associated personnel lost their lives in conflicts across the world. Against this alarming backdrop, allow me to underline the following points.

First, we strongly condemned the increased attacks against humanitarian and UN and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel. All parties to armed conflicts must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. This compliance includes the respect for the safety and security of the aforementioned personnel and for safe and effective humanitarian operations, including the facilitation of safe, rapid, and unhindered passage of humanitarian assistance.

Let's not forget, Gaza remains by far the deadliest place for humanitarian workers, Sudan, South Sudan. Only last week, three humanitarian workers were killed in Lebanon.

Secondly, accountability must become the norm, not the exception. Attacks against humanitarian workers must not go unpunished. Concerned states' authorities must conduct full, transparent, and effective investigations into allegations of attacks against humanitarian workers and to prosecute those responsible. We also call on the Secretary-General, as per resolution 2730, to provide updates through regular reporting as well as swiftly report to the Council on an ad hoc basis when widespread attacks and violations occur against humanitarian personnel, UN, and associated personnel.

Thirdly, the confidence of civilians in humanitarian action must be enhanced. Greece stresses the need to confront the threat of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech against humanitarian and United Nations organizations and to protect civilians from false narratives that threaten their access to humanitarian assistance. Digital innovation can be a valuable tool in the effort to enable security risk management and respond to risks.

Fourthly, humanitarian operations in high-risk contexts must be safeguarded. Peacekeeping and political missions must be enabled to effectively reach people in need. The Security Council must ensure that operational and security capacities on the ground are strengthened by incorporating safety and security requirements into all the mandates it issues.

Mr. President, it is our firm conviction that the challenge does not lie in the lack of appropriate legal framework, but in the increasing lack of respect for humanitarian law and its principles. In this regard, Greece joined the global initiative to galvanize political commitment to international humanitarian law launched by the ICRC to address the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law and endorsed the declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel initiated by Australia.

Resolution 2730 sends a powerful message of the moral imperative to reverse the terrifying trend of mounting humanitarian workers' casualties and of the need to have the operational agility to protect them. We, as members of the Security Council, have to ensure the humanitarian workers fulfill their duty in safety and dignity and with the protection they deserve. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank USG Tom Fletcher, USG Gilles Michaud, and permanent observer of ICRC, Elise Nicole Musquini, for their complementary and most valuable briefings encompassing the various dimensions of this subject. We also welcome the permanent representative of Switzerland to this meeting.

Today's discussion is about more than the safety of humanitarian workers and United Nations personnel. It is about whether the international community is prepared to defend those who stand between civilians and catastrophes.

Humanitarian workers and UN personnel, including peacekeepers, serve in the harshest and most dangerous environments. They deliver food, medicine, and shelter, they sustain UN mandates on the ground, and they help preserve the minimum conditions necessary for the protection of civilians.

So when they are attacked, obstructed, or intimidated, it is the civilians who suffer the most.

The continued rise in attacks against humanitarian and UN personnel reflects a dangerous erosion of respect for international law. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader pattern in which the norms governing armed conflict are being ignored with alarming frequency and impunity.

If those who carry out humanitarian action and UN responsibilities are no longer protected, then the entire edifice of civilian protection is weakened. That is why resolution 2730 reaffirmed the obligation of all parties to armed conflict to respect and protect humanitarian workers, including local aid workers and UN personnel.

The Secretary-General's recommendations have provided a useful framework for follow-up. What is needed now is implementation with seriousness, urgency, and consistency. Allow me to make the following points in this regard.

First, the starting point must be the implementation of international humanitarian law. Humanitarian workers and UN personnel, including peacekeepers, must be respected and protected in all circumstances.

Second, accountability must be strengthened. Impunity only invites repetition. And when such attacks are not met with consequences, the result is predictable. Violations increase and risks deepen. Investigations must therefore be prompt, impartial, transparent, and effective. Perpetrators must be identified and held accountable.

Third, when threats to humanitarian and UN personnel become widespread or systematic in situations on the Council's agenda, the Council must respond credibly. In this regard, the implementation of resolution 2730 must be fully operationalized through practical measures under UN auspices, I would say, to improve monitoring of attacks, reporting on trends, and follow-up on investigations.

Fourth, protection must be better integrated into operational planning. Humanitarian personnel and UN staff are often most vulnerable during mission transitions, peacekeeping drawdowns, and rapidly deteriorating security conditions. These periods require anticipatory planning, adequate resources, and close coordination among all stakeholders.

Fifth, humanitarian access must be protected from both physical attack and administrative obstruction. Bureaucratic restrictions, visa delays, customs blockages, communication disruptions, and other overly restrictive measures can all paralyze life-saving work. Humanitarian exemptions must therefore be clear and workable. Finally, we must comprehensively address the challenges posed by disinformation, misinformation, and incitement that create hostility towards humanitarian actors and UN personnel.

President, it goes without saying that the impact of all the above actions and many of the pertinent proposals and ideas put forward by colleagues around the table will be reinforced if this Council could do better on conflict prevention and resolution and mediation and early action, as the ambassador of Liberia emphasized, all for promoting peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter.

But in the meantime, those who protect civilians must not themselves be left unprotected. Pakistan remains passionately committed to supporting all efforts aimed at strengthening the safety, security, and dignity of humanitarian workers, UN staff, and peacekeepers. And we are ready and willing to work with all members of the Council and the wider UN membership to collectively advance practical measures in this regard. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Panama.

President, thank you for convening this meeting to address an issue that is highly sensitive for all of us. We would like to thank Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Mr. Gilles Michaud, and Madame Elise Nicole Musquini, permanent observer and head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross for their briefings. Your presentations have not just been informative, they've been truly moving.

Moreover, I would like to extend a cordial welcome to the representative of Switzerland, who has a vast repository of knowledge on the issue and she honors us with her participation. Resolution 2730 of 2024 warns about a fact that is broadly known by the international community. The legal framework for protection of civilians exists, it is solid, and offers sufficient guidance. The main challenge is effective implementation.

In this context, respect for the Geneva Conventions becomes critically relevant. These norms, which are universally accepted, reflect a minimum consensus on the need to preserve human dignity even in wartime, in the crude circumstances of wartime. Compliance does not just respond to a legal obligation, but it is also an ethical imperative. On the contrary, a lack of compliance should activate accountability mechanisms at the international level, recalling thus that accountability is an essential component to maintain the legal international order and to avoid impunity.

Recent conflicts throughout the world show that there is a widening gap between commitments described and their implementation on the ground. When states and other actors in a conflict not just choose violence and escalation, but also choose to use hunger as a weapon, to block access to drinking water, to block humanitarian and medical access, and to hamper education, showing a crude disregard for the most basic norms of IHL, civilians always pay the price. In this sense, it is timely to reiterate something that should be self-evident for all of those affected by armed conflict. They share the same dignity and the same rights, from Sudan to Gaza, Haiti or Israel, from Ukraine to Iran.

The human consequences of war warrant a response based on equality and not selectivity. Again, they warrant a response based on equality and not selectivity. Likewise, civilian infrastructure should never be targeted. Schools, hospitals, bridges, essential water supply, electric infrastructure, and transportation systems are vital pillars for a dignified life. Likewise, we've heard dramatic statements from briefers, and they are supported upon stark numbers and moving cases of the sacrifice of the victims that have been staff of the United Nations and other humanitarian aid agencies.

Therefore, we must conclude with not a small measure of shame that there is no doubt that we have an obligation to exert greater efforts to ensure the safety of our humanitarian and medical personnel that works to save lives in conditions that are extremely high risk for their safety on the field, in hospitals, in medical clinics, and in ambulances. We know that their work is absolutely vital to preserve life and health in the midst of conflicts.

This is not just a legal issue, which by the way it also is. It is a matter of simple humanity. Unfortunately, we have seen that in many cases, quite on the contrary, these people are intentionally targeted. And all of this is not just brutal, but it should also carry serious consequences. Sailors, the crews of commercial vessels, they are also members of the civilian population, and in conflict, they run the risk of being caught in the middle of a war or to be affected in serious ways, as we are now seeing in the Strait of Hormuz. Ensuring their safety is therefore an integral part of our responsibility.

The most effective way to protect the civilian population is to avoid war altogether, to abstain from special operations or military excursions that only feed conflicts. Local tensions should also not be instrumentalized to advance economic or geopolitical interests. And above all, dialogue and diplomacy must always prevail and must always be renewed. As long as force is used, no norm or treaty, no convention, will be able to avoid that the civilian population somehow suffers from the consequences of war.

Mr. President, advancing the protection of civilians demands a renewed commitment to consistency, responsibility, and the absolute respect for international law. Its implementation in armed conflict is not optional, nor is it an abstract aspiration. It is a clear, unavoidable, and universal obligation. Only through constant observance and by complying with international provisions will it be possible to close the gap between norms and reality, to strengthen the credibility of the international system as a whole. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as a representative of Bahrain.

Excellencies, at the outset, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. Gilles Michaud, Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Safety and Security, and Mrs. Elise Musquini, Permanent Observer of the ICRC to the United Nations, for their valuable and important briefings. I would also like to welcome the permanent representative of Switzerland in our meeting today.

Nearly two years have passed since the Security Council adopted resolution 2730, which the Kingdom of Bahrain co-sponsored at the time together with 97 other countries. The resolution affirms that any attack against humanitarian workers and United Nations personnel constitutes an attack against humanity. Yet, in 2026, we continue to witness serious threats that affect and even claim the lives of humanitarian personnel.

These include incidents impacting the World Food Programme in Sudan and South Sudan, in addition to the killing of several UNRWA staff in Gaza and peacekeepers in Lebanon. This comes in addition to the continued detention of UN personnel by the Houthis in Yemen, among other examples in many countries still experiencing conflicts, such as the Sudan, Lebanon, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar. In this context, I would like today to focus on three main points.

First, Security Council resolution 2730 underscores the importance of legal protection for humanitarian workers and the United Nations personnel. However, despite the clarity of this framework, its effectiveness remains dependent on the commitment of all parties to conflict. In areas controlled by armed groups and terrorist organizations, the adherence of conflict parties to the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and the provisions of the UN Charter often remains superficial, just on paper, without actual implementation on the ground. As a result, humanitarian workers continue to face direct and persistent threats.

Secondly, emerging technologies, including drones, pose threats to humanitarian workers. They may even obstruct their missions and operations. This requires the international community to develop new mechanisms to protect humanitarian personnel in a manner commensurate with current and future challenges. More broadly, disinformation represents a significant threat to the safety of humanitarian and UN operations.

This requires the prevention of their spread, as highlighted in the Secretary-General's recommendations S/2024/852. Indeed, he stressed that 76% of peacekeepers reported in 2025 that disinformation had affected their safety. Artificial intelligence may also be misused to facilitate the spread of such disinformation. Third, ensuring urgent and unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance for communities is essential.

Armed groups may exploit any restrictions on access to control or monitor aid, thereby endangering the safety of humanitarian workers. The situation is further complicated by terrorist organizations establishing parallel aid channels. This obstructs humanitarian work. In 2025, it was estimated that more than 204 million people were living under the control of armed groups, making access particularly difficult, especially in light of the UN plan to reduce peacekeeping forces by 25% as a cost-cutting measure. This leads us to anticipate an increase in threats in the future. Therefore, we stress the need to ensure the urgent and safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.

It's known to all that the aggressive, irresponsible, and unjustified Iranian attacks against my country and the countries of the GCC, in addition to Jordan since the 28th of February, as well as other countries in the region, in a clear violation of Security Council resolution 2817, has impacted the effort to provide aid and assistance in so many parts of the world.

In conclusion, the Kingdom of Bahrain commends the international efforts and contributions in support of humanitarian operations and the preservation of humanitarian principles in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations. Thank you.

I resume my function as a president of the Council. I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to thank you for the honor of inviting us to participate in this very important meeting. And I also wish to join the words of thanks to the Under-Secretaries-General Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Michaud, and to the head of delegation of the ICRC, Madame Musquini, not just for their very clear statements, but also for their courageous work that they have been undertaking with their teams on the ground. And I especially wish to thank Mr. Michaud as he concludes his mandate. Thank you for all of your efforts. I state this as a former member, a non-permanent member. Thank you for all the security provisions during our travel.

In May 2024, Switzerland proposed that the Council adopt a resolution on protection of humanitarian and UN personnel, resolution 2730, which was supported by some 100 co-sponsors. This was because of the increase in attacks against those tasked with protecting the civilian population in conflict situation. Already two years ago, this situation was alarming. And when six months later, in November of 2024, the Secretary-General presented his recommendations on the subject, more than 100 states, as well as humanitarian organizations, reaffirmed their political conviction, which can be summed up in a very clear statement, namely: wars have rules and civilians are not a target. Pas une cible.

It is in this spirit that the declaration on the protection of humanitarian personnel was also launched. And there's a need to reiterate this to counter misinformation. Civilian infrastructure, it is prohibited to target civilian objects such as hospitals and civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian convoys must be able to move safely, and humanitarian and UN personnel, including those recruited locally, must be respected and protected always under all circumstances.

While the situation was alarming two years ago, the reality on the ground today is nothing short of catastrophic. We have heard the figures and the events of the last month alone attest to this: UNICEF workers killed in Goma, infrastructure targeted in Ukraine and Gaza, dozens of health workers killed in Lebanon, recurrent attacks targeting UNIFIL, which claimed the lives of three Blue Helmets. We condemn all of these attacks regardless of where they occur, regardless of the perpetrators. The rules of international humanitarian apply equally for to all, and our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the victims and their families.

Despite the growing danger, humanitarian and UN workers continue to provide on a daily basis and often under the most difficult circumstances vital assistance to vulnerable populations. They demonstrate courage, commitment, and resilience, which command our profound respect. But admiration here is not enough. The rise in attacks against humanitarian and UN personnel has nefarious consequences. As we recalled, this undermines the entire system for the protection of civilians and conveys the dangerous message that humanitarian workers have become acceptable targets. Thereby, this undermines our humanity.

To counter this unfortunate trend, resolution 2730 was adopted. We must urgently ensure full implementation thereof. The Security Council shoulders a particular responsibility in this regard and must return to its primary task: ensuring international peace and security. But beyond the Council, all states have a role to play.

First and foremost, as political actors, all states must leverage their influence to prevent conflict. And when conflict does break out, they must use their influence to ensure compliance with IHL. Second, as parties to conflict or supporters of armed groups, states must ensure stringent compliance with IHL by their forces and partners. This includes guaranteeing rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access, and each incident must be subject to credible targeted investigations and appropriate measures. Impunity must never prevail.

Thirdly, as donors, states must ensure predictable, flexible, and sufficient humanitarian funding. This includes the resources necessary to provide for the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, specifically local actors who constitute the very backbone of humanitarian action and far too frequently find themselves on the front lines. Switzerland is continuing efforts to that end, and we are working on drafting a guide aimed at translating these obligations into national frameworks, which we will circulate shortly.

Distinguished colleagues, the best protection for civilians and humanitarian workers remains conflict prevention. The conflicts are not resolved by force. They are resolved through dialogue, mediation, and diplomacy. Therefore, we call upon the Security Council and all UN member states to remain mobilized. We shall continue to advocate for the primacy of diplomacy, to proactively support implementation of resolution 2730, notably through the organization of events for the week for the protection of civilians from 18 May to 22 May. The majority of the world's population would like to be better protect civilians from tragic consequences of armed conflict, as many young people stand ready to become actively involved, and this was demonstrated by last week's Circle of Young Humanitarians summit in Geneva. This generates hope for us, but especially gives rise to a commitment to rise to our responsibilities and to meet them. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Switzerland for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.